Reproductive biology of Pteroisvolitansin the baconao biosphere reserve, southern Cuba

Background: Pterois volitans Linnaeus 1758 is an invasive exotic species established in the Atlantic and Caribbean, threatening the native marine biodiversity. It has led to reduced recruitment and biomass of small reef fish of ecological interest, altering the fish community structure by reducing the number of herbivores. In Cuba, it was first reported in 2007. Goals: This research aims to characterize the reproductive biology of P. volitans in the western part of the Baconao Biosphere Reserve, in southern Cuba. Methods: Sampling was carried out monthly from April 2012 to May 2013 (n = 535 fish). Total length (L_T, cm), total mass (M_T, g), and weight of the liver, gonads, and abdominal fat were recorded for each individual. To analyze spawning, the gonadosomatic (I_G) and hepatosomatic indices (I_H) were determined. Results: Mean size and weight of adults were 26.8 cm and 290.9 g, respectively. The size structure revealed that females are dominant in lengths of 22-31 cm, whereas males dominate from 31 cm onwards. The sex ratio was 1:1. I_G showed seasonal spawning peaks between March and May 2013. No significant differences were observed amongst monthly means, but I_H monthly means and monthly rates of abdominal fat showed significant differences. The size at first maturity was 30.07 cm in males and 26.2 cm in females. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the lionfish P. volitans shows an asynchronous reproductive cycle characterized by high gonadal index values during the breeding season and an inverse trend of I_H and I_F, suggesting that the liver and body fat store nutrients for use in reproduction.